02 October 2022
Two-Minute Features | 09 October 2022

Focus Off the Self, onto Others, Part 2 (TMF:1955)

Friday, October 07, 2022
Peace to Live By: Focus Off the Self, onto Others, Part 2 (TMF:1955) - Daniel Litton
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       The kind of people James’ talks about here (the orphans and widows) are those who don’t have any families per se. The orphan’s parents have died, or the child has been put up for adaption. The widow’s husband has died, and may not have any children or siblings who can take care of her. These are people that are at an extra level of need. And the truly religious person is the one who realizes the need, and then seeks to actually help the people. I always find it interesting when people who aren’t part of any particular church are the one’s who are actually helping these kinds of people while the righteous are making excuses. Truly, our American society has taught a lot of individuals that it’s right to help the lowly in need. All kinds of people then are seen to be helping those who need it. Our society prides itself in this. We as religious people can often be quick to say, “Well, those people helping don’t know Jesus. So, it doesn’t count for them. They’re just doing that so they can feel better about themselves, so they can feel they're a good person.” Meanwhile, we aren’t doing anything to help the needy.

Focus Off the Self, onto Others, Part 1 (TMF:1954)

Thursday, October 06, 2022
Peace to Live By: Focus Off the Self, onto Others, Part 1 (TMF:1954) - Daniel Litton
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       Finally, in finishing chapter 1 of James here, he states: “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” Let’s not get caught up in focusing on specifically visiting orphans and widows in their affliction because most of us aren’t going to do that in our lives. We can focus on, though, what the greater picture is here. What is the first thing we can note here? Well, we can note that these people, the truly religious people, the good people, are people who are focused on what? Well, they are focused on others. The focus is off the self and on others. In this case, the focus is not only on others, but more precisely it is on others who have a great need. The kind of people James’ talks about here (the orphans and widows) are those who don’t have any families per se. The orphan’s parents have died, or the child has been put up for adaption. The widow’s husband has died, and may not have any children or siblings who can take care of her.

Pride in Our Positions, Part 3 (TMF:1953)

Wednesday, October 05, 2022
Peace to Live By: Pride in Our Positions, Part 3 (TMF:1953) - Daniel Litton
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       Their positions are severe. They are too strongly opinionated. The pride is seeping through, and the person can become even tiring to be around. Perhaps that person is you. Perhaps on occasion it is me. We need to be careful in these areas. We need to be careful we are not too strongly opinionated, because with those strong positions comes pride. With pride, obviously then comes deception. And then, after all of this, the position we hold is really worthless. There have been times with certain friends of mine that I have wanted to talk about certain political values. I have wanted to talk about important values and positions held by President Kennedy or President Roosevelt or even President Wilson but felt that I could not get for fear of getting snapped at by the turtle. Certainly, I do have friends who I can speak freely about in these matters. I should be able to speak freely with anyone about them. However, there are some I just don’t feel comfortable talking about them with.

Pride in Our Positions, Part 2 (TMF:1952)

Tuesday, October 04, 2022
Peace to Live By: Pride in Our Positions, Part 2 (TMF:1952) - Daniel Litton
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       For me personally, I tend to notice this when the person is quick to speak negatively about politics. I mean, we’ve all experienced this. The person talks about how the other party, the one that opposes theirs, is so bad and how the people are complete idiots. And they talk about their political positions and how correct they are. It is All or Nothing Thinking run amok. One side is completely good, which is their side, and the other side is completely evil, and things are painted in such a way to make this seem to be the obvious reality. And no one can disagree with them, you don’t and I don’t, because we know if we do, they will bite our heads off too. Their tongue isn’t bridled and their heart is deceived. I get tired of having to seemingly agree with such persons. However, you cannot disagree with them because they are not open to others views. They have already decided they are absolutely correct and there is no hope in even getting them to try to see otherwise. Their positions are severe. They are too strongly opinionated. The pride is seeping through, and the person can become even tiring to be around.

Pride in Our Positions, Part 1 (TMF:1951)

Monday, October 03, 2022
Peace to Live By: Pride in Our Positions, Part 1 (TMF:1951) - Daniel Litton
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       Part of being authentic is being honest and upfront. If a person is hiding things, if he or she is just pretending, the authenticity isn’t there. The religion of this individual is worthless. These people can be easy to identify at times, and sometimes you have to get to know a person first. Usually, however, there is the thought right at the beginning of the person speaking, “Something here just isn’t right.” Perhaps it is a religious pride, a self-righteousness, that is shinning forth. It becomes obvious to the listener. The person’s pride is seeping out, and they don’t even know it. For me personally, I tend to notice this when the person is quick to speak negatively about politics. I mean, we’ve all experienced this. Think about it. The person talks about how the other party, the one that opposes theirs, is so bad and how the people are complete idiots. And they talk about their political positions and how correct they are. It is All or Nothing Thinking run amok. One side is completely good, which is their side, and the other side is completely evil, and things are painted in such a way to make this seem to be the obvious reality.